As Dreams Are Made On Official Selection: 2004 Melbourne International Film Festival / New Zealand International Film Festival

In every little life big decisions must be made. A stormy night provides the backdrop for a series of calamities, culminating in a liberating decision for actor Reuben Mills.

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Juliette Veber - NZ Film - PO Box 11 546 - Wellington - New Zealand Tel +64 4 382 7686 - Fax +64 4 384 9719 - [email protected]

Essential Information Writer-Director-Editor

Gabriel Reid

Producers

James Wallace and Gabriel Reid

Production Company

James Wallace Productions and Pageant Films In association with The Screen Innovation Fund of Creative New Zealand And The New Zealand Film Commission

Technical Information

35mm/ Digibeta / 1:1.85 / Dolby SR

Running Time

11 minutes

Country of Production

New Zealand

Date of completion

July, 2004

Genre

Drama/Romance

Sales

Juliette Veber, New Zealand Film Commission Email: [email protected] Tel: +64 4 382 7686

Log Line In every little life big decisions must be made.

Short Synopsis Reuben is a talented but impoverished actor feeling the pressure to nest. With his acting company about to tour he finds himself at an emotional crossroads. The time has come to choose his path.

Long Synopsis Performing the somewhat thankless role of Ferdinand in a production of The Tempest, Reuben Mills is feeling the pressure to nest. His 30th birthday is nearing and his new girlfriend, Siandra, has caught the eye of her affluent boss. Reuben can no longer live on “the smell of an oily rag”. Although he won’t enjoy farewelling his fellow cast members, he has decided to leave The Merely Players before the commencement of their national tour. He informs the head of the company, Richard Waldergrave, that instead of touring he intends to take up a place at Law School. The older man is less than impressed. Whilst waiting for Reuben at an across town restaurant, Siandra and her boss flirt. As a series of minor calamities delay Reuben, Richard counsels him to consider whether he could really be fulfilled by a career in law. With the aid of Richard and the company’s lead actress, Angela, Reuben makes it to the restaurant door. He pauses to reflect and reconsiders his decision. With renewed resolve he heads into the night.

Film Festival Screenings 2004 Melbourne International Film Festival, Australia 2004 Telecom New Zealand International Film Festival, New Zealand 2005 Rhode Island International Film Festival, USA 2005 Drifting Clouds Film Festival, New Zealand 2005 Fiordland Cinema, New Zealand

Director’s Notes We are such stuff As dreams are made on, and our little life Is rounded with a sleep. The Tempest (Act IV, Scene I) William Shakespeare

How should we spend our little lives? It is a big question to which there is no easy or uniform answer. Some, in acts of courage, folly, or vocation, leap into the unknown. Young artists forgo secure incomes confident that their talents will be recognised, their material needs met. However, should roles prove too few, too far between or too poorly paid, an actor’s youthful confidence may eventually be tempered by doubt. When I wrote this film I was, like Reuben Mills, suffering some consternation vis-à-vis my own career choices. Law School was a real possibility. I fretted that at some future time I might regret rejecting that option. Of course, ultimately I had to accept that the future cannot be known. And I took to heart the dictum, “A life lived in fear is a life half lived.”

moments during which spirits awaken from eternal slumber), Reuben gains clarity. He comes to recognise that which he can and that which he cannot live without. Understanding that life is either a daring adventure or nothing at all, Reuben faces his fears and commits to a choice. By embracing uncertainty he frees himself to move forward.

Director’s Bio. Gabriel Reid was born in Auckland, New Zealand. He has directed and designed widely acclaimed productions of Amadeus and The Crucible. At nine he began performing in theatre and on television. Beginning in 1990, he spent five years on staff at Opera New Zealand, holding a range of positions on numerous opera productions. Highlights included working as Assistant Director on La Bohème, starring Dame Kiri Te Kanawa. As Chairman of Theatre Workshop he oversaw productions of The Revenger’s Tragedy, Salomé and As You Like It. Before leaving New Zealand in 1997 he worked as an Assistant Director on the television series Hercules. In London he researched his Master’s thesis on film adaptations of Shakespeare. For this he interviewed many of the world’s leading Shakespearian directors, actors and producers at film and theatre companies including Renaissance Films, the RSC and the Royal National Theatre. In 1999 he completed his M.A. with first class honours. In 2000 he commenced work as a director of on-air promos at Television New Zealand. There he created network promos for a wide variety of programmes, from The Simpson’s to The West Wing. In recent years Gabriel has played featured guest roles in several television series. He is due to complete his Ph.D. at the end of this year. His thesis considers the impact of digital technologies on feature film production. He has conducted interviews at renowned film facilities including Pixar Animation Studios, ILM and Weta Digital. Presently Gabriel is a member of the assistant directing team for the feature film adaptation of The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe.

Production Company: Pageant Films Gabriel Reid founded pageant in 1998, following his return to New Zealand after a year in London. He had been inspired by dealings with some of the founders of Renaissance Theatre Company, which became Renaissance Films (Henry V, Much Ado About Nothing, The Madness of King George). He was interested in generating projects for colleagues and friends; various actors, casting directors, etc. His decision to centre the action of As Dreams Are Made On within a theatre company meant that the project was able to draw upon familiar settings as well as a familial spirit, which had evolved, between the participants during years of collaboration. Of his decision to call the company ‘Pageant Films’, Reid remarks, “For me the word “pageant” brings to mind those bands of players who once traversed the European countryside. Theirs must have been a difficult yet gypsy-like existence. Rolling into village squares or tavern courtyards they would transform their “pageant wagons” into stages. Upon these platforms they would enact plays and entertainment spanning every genre. Although cinema has replaced travelling players, the spirit of the pageant endures. So too does the willingness with which audiences suspend their disbelief, and the delight they take in being transported by compelling performances. I named

the

company

‘Pageant

Films’

as

a

way

of

acknowledging

contemporary links with a long and venerable tradition of narrative storytelling and performance.” Pageant Films has provided freelance television directing services to several organisations including TVNZ and Maori Television. Presently the company is a finalist in the Spark Entrepreneurship Challenge. Pageant is preparing to seek backing for a slate of short and feature projects.

Production Company: James Wallace Productions James Wallace is known to be one of New Zealand’s most significant arts patrons. He is the founder of the country’s largest independent art award, the Wallace Art Awards. He has produced numerous short and feature films Race Against Time, A Death in the Family, The Mighty Civic and Desperate Remedies. He also produced Garth Maxwell’s drama Beyond Gravity. His internationally acclaimed short films include Trust Me and Accidents. Mr. Wallace has long supported film projects by emerging filmmakers. To avoid any potential conflict of interest, James Wallace Productions suspended operations when Mr. Wallace was invited to join the current board of the New Zealand Film Commission. With several projects already on its slate, the company will recommence activity once his term on the NZFC board expires.

Production notes 

The building in which most of the action takes place was for many decades home to New Zealand’s largest professional theatre company – The Mercury Theatre – founded by Gabriel Reid’s grandfather, Professor John Reid. The building is now home to an Auckland city church.

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The Tempest was one of Shakespeare’s last plays, first performed in 1611. It is in part concerned with the magical, almost God-like power enjoyed by dramatists as they manipulate worlds of their own creation. It may be read as a kind of swan song. Certainly, this adds great poignancy to the speech, which begins As Dreams Are Made On. Here a mature Shakespeare observes that ultimately everything, even “the great globe itself”, shall dissolve – leaving “not a rack behind.”

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Raymond Hawthorne (Richard Waldergrave/Prospero) has been for many decades one of New Zealand’s most acclaimed theatre and opera directors. He is a former Artistic Director of The Mercury Theatre and

of Theatre Corporate. His ex-wife and two daughters are all highly regraded actresses working in theatre, film and television. 

The film’s director, Gabriel Reid, appears in the film as one of the actors descending the Stage Door staircase. The others in this scene are actors he has directed in various theatre projects.

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The current version of As Dreams Are Made On screened in competition at the 2004 Melbourne International Film Festival.

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An earlier edit screened at the New Zealand International Film Festival.

Reuben Mills (Ian Hughes) is an actor playing the role of Ferdinand in Shakespeare’s play The Tempest.

Credits

KEY CREW Written, Directed and Edited by

GABRIEL REID

Produced by

JAMES WALLACE GABRIEL REID

Line Producer

MATTHEW HORROCKS

Director of Photography

ALAN LOCKE

Casting Director

IRENE DRAKE

Costume Designer

GABRIEL REID

Art Director

JOHN HARDING

CAST Reuben Mills

IAN HUGHES

Richard Waldergrave

RAYMOND HAWTHORNE

Angela Griffin

TANYA HORO

John Masters

JOHN GLASS

Waiter

JEFF BOLLOW

Stage Manager

ALISON BRUCE

‘The Tempest’ Cast

IRENE DRAKE JOHN HARDING DENYS HOSKINS JOHN McKEE DONALD TROTT

Waitress

CORRRINA WILMSHURST

CREW 1st Assistant Director

NIK BEACHMAN

2nd Assistant Director

VANESSA SHELDRICK

Location Sound

DICK READE

Loader/Focus Puller

FRITH LOCKE-BONNEY

Video Split/Clapper

MATTHEW PERRY

Gaffers

JADE BARKER TONY KOVACS

Grip

PAUL GRAY

Continuity

KATH THOMAS

Make Up Artist

CATHERINE MAQUIRE

Assistant Make Up Artist

ASH FARAHANI

Wardrobe Supervisor

LESLIE BURKES-HARDING

Wardrobe Standby

JOAN WILSON

Location Manager

BRANT FRASER

Unit Manager

RAJNISH SETHI

Catering

FIONA McRAE

Gen Op

NIGEL LYNDSAY

Script Editor

TIMOTHY O’BRIEN

Production Manager

MICHELE DRISCOLL

Production Assistant

MARK STOREY

Runner

MALCOLM CLEMENT

Processing Facility

ATLAB NEW ZEALAND

Telecine

IMAGES POST

Editbox Operator

JESSICA FALLAR

EDL Conforming

JAY BERRYMAN

Sound Tracklay

GLENN CLOUGH

Dolby Sound Mix

JOHN BOSWELL

Sound Manager

JOHN NEILL

Laboratory

THE FILM UNIT

General Manager Post Production Supervisor

SUE THOMPSON CATHERINE FITZGERALD

Digital Intermediate Manager

JOHN NEWELL

Digital Intermediate Manager

JOHN NEWELL

Digital Grading

COLIN HARRISON

Touch Grading

LYNNE REED

Main Title Design

ALISON FURMINGER

NZFC Short Film Fund Coordinator

VICKY POPE

NZFC Sales and Marketing

KATE KENNEDY

Camera Equipment

ARRIFLEX

Lenses

CANNON

Film Stock

KODAK 7274